Sony Bravia XBR-55HX929 3D LED LCD HDTV HT Labs Measures

HT Labs Measures

Full-On/Full-Off Contrast Ratio: Unmeasurable

The measurements were taken in the Custom Picture Mode, through an HDMI input.

With the backlight set to 4, the picture (Contrast) control at 70, the brightness at 53, the gamma on +2, and the LED Dynamic Control on Standard, the peak white level was just slightly below 30 foot-lamberts. The black level was unmeasurable with our Minolta LS-100 light meter—resulting in an unmeasurable full-on/full-off contrast ratio.

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The Max setting of the backlight control is 10, leaving ample overhead from the above settings (4) should you feel the need for higher brightness. For example, with the backlight turned to Max in Custom, the peak white level was 53 ft-L. In Vivid, it was 160 ft-L. But for a dark room, we have found that 30 ft-L is more than bright enough and easy on the eyes.

With the LED Dynamic Control on low and the other settings unchanged, the peak white level was 29.6 ft-L and the black level 0.004, for a full-on/full-off contrast ratio of 14,800:1. With the LED Dynamic Control off, the relative measurements were 30 ft-L white and 0.021 black (a very mediocre number in today’s market), for a full-on/full-off contrast ratio of 1,429:1. We recommend leaving LED Dynamic Contrast in its standard setting.

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The black levels for the low and off settings were taken immediately after the image dropped to black. In those settings, the black levels dropped an additional degree shortly after the reading was made. In its +2 setting, the gamma ranged from 2.05 in the midrange to 2.12 at the dark (20 IRE) and bright (90 IRE) ends of the brightness spectrum. The +1 gamma setting was closer to the typically recommended gamma of 2.2, but on most material, it looked a little too crushed on the dark end. Your mileage may vary.

The pre-calibration color temperature was around 6700K in its optimum setting of Warm 2. The Before Calibration color-tracking chart shows that this result was nevertheless lacking in green, and the Delta Es ranged from 10.9 to 14.7. After a 2D calibration, the maximum Delta E was 2.22 at 20 IRE, and the next worst value was 1.35—a superb result. The color gamut, with Live Color off (see the CIE chart) was very accurate, although it required a slight reduction in the Color control from the default setting of 50 to produce a respectably accurate brightness level for each color.

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The color was not calibrated separately for 3D for reasons described in the main text. But I did measure a 3D peak white level of about 14.1 ft-L and a black level of 0.001 ft-L, for a full-on/full-off 3D contrast ratio of 14,100:1 (with the backlight at max, the picture on 70, the brightness on 43, the gamma on –1, and LED Dynamic Control on standard).—TJN

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COMMENTS
JoeBlogg1983's picture

Hi, Some other publications have noted an issue of a "crease" on their HX929 review samples. I'm wondering whether that is consistent to the sample you have reviewed?

Scott Wilkinson's picture
What do you mean by a "crease"? A crease in what? Where is it located?
JoeBlogg1983's picture

Hi Scott. The "crease" on the HX929 has been noted on several AV forums as well as some other publications. You can probably find results by searching "HX929 crease" in google.

It is generally described as a "column" of slightly darker pixels running along the left or right edge of the screen.

Claims have been made that this column ranges from barely noticeable to the unit being considered "defective".

I'm in the market for a new TV. The HX929 seems to be a good candidate, but the "crease" problem that I've been reading about may be a deal breaker for me.

I'm wondering if those are isolated incidents or a general problem for the series. You guys are the pros! - and therefore wonderingif you guys spotted the same problem in your review sample.

Thanks!

MISHARI M BERAGDAR's picture

i think it is the best detailed review with very good settings.

i thought 3D settings only shows cinemotion auto 2, i will check that.
and for motionflow, when set to OFF, 3D glasses flicker too much which is painful, so better to change to Standard to eliminate flickering

MISHARI M BERAGDAR's picture

also the 3D ghosting due to angle variation is due to Sony glasses, Xpand X103 eliminates this problem with better 3D overall. but the glasses flickering in Motionflow OFF is common, it can be seen by looking at the window or any bright light source and then change Mtionflow to Standard to notice the difference

Thomas J. Norton's picture
That's something we didn't see in our sample. If we had seen it, you can be sure it would have been mentioned. But is it possible we missed it. The sample is fortunately still here, so I'll check it out next week.
zoetmb's picture

I took delivery about 2 1/2 weeks ago on a set with an August 2011 Mexico build date and I have absolutely no crease. I also never saw a crease when I looked at the set in many different retail environments, including 2 chain stores, 2 independent stores and 2 Sony stores. But there are definitely people who have the crease, including some who also have an August 2011 build date.

From the online postings, Sony doesn't recognize it as a critical problem, instead saying that it's "within spec", but they have come up with a methodology for adjusting some hidden settings that supposedly fixes it or at least makes it less visible.

By the way, your review didn't mention anything about the audio quality of the set's internal amp/speakers, which I think is remarkably poor. While I realize there isn't much space for speakers in a flat panel, it has vastly inferior sound to my 25-year-old Sony KV-1917 CRT TV.

But there's no question that this is a great set and I'm actually happier with it than I thought I'd be, which is remarkable. Usually when I spend a lot of money on a device, I'm disappointed.

etrochez's picture

Can you be more specific about the black levels in this TV? You state the black level in Custom Picture Mode is unmeasurable by your meter. I'm stunned that you didn't talk more about the black level performance. You never waste any time to compare any TV to the 0.002 ft-L performance by the Kuro. Yet you don't mention anything in this review other than the comparison with the Panasonic. Does the Sony TV has the best black level performance you've ever tested? I'm sure I'm just confused, but a little clarification would be nice.

P.S.: I saw the new Elite at my local BB and it looks stunning. Can't wait for the review.

Stephen Trask's picture

From the HTLABS Measures page:
"With the LED Dynamic Control on low and the other settings unchanged, the peak white level was 29.6 ft-L AND THE BLACK LEVEL 0.004, for a full-on/full-off contrast ratio of 14,800:1. With the LED Dynamic Control off, the relative measurements were 30 ft-L white and 0.021 BLACK (A VERY MEDIOCRE NUMBER IN TODAY’S MARKET), FOR a full-on/full-off contrast ratio of 1,429:1. We recommend leaving LED Dynamic Contrast in its standard setting...

THE BLACK LEVELS FOR THE LOW AND OFF SETTINGS WERE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE IMAGE DROPPED TO BLACK. IN THOSE SETTINGS, THE BLACK LEVELS DROPPED AN ADDITIONAL DEGREE SHORTLY AFTER THE READING WAS MADE.

The color was not calibrated separately for 3D for reasons described in the main text. But I did measure a 3D peak white level of about 14.1 ft-L and A BLACK LEVEL OF 0.001 ft-L, for a full-on/full-off 3D contrast ratio of 14,100:1 (with the backlight at max, the picture on 70, the brightness on 43, the gamma on –1, and LED Dynamic Control on standard)."

TreyT's picture

You mention a .004 black level with the LED dynamic lighting set to "Low" but in the review you recommend having this on the "standard" setting. What measurements did you get in the "standard" setting if the .004 and 29.6 ft/l was in the "low" setting?

Breakdancefight's picture

I was able to find an open box close out at Best Buy. I picked it up for a steal and am loving everything about it. The closest to an Elite for me this side of winning the lottery.

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